Читать книгу Adventures of Space Cadets 101: Weddings - Darryl Dean Wright - Страница 6

"Are you positive we're on course to this planet Kess, Captain?" Admiral Foremen asked Captain William Marcus onboard their new Trexian ship. The ship was hot, and it stank, but it was more advanced than anything Earth had.

Earth Defense felt lucky indeed to acquire a Trex ship without the Houstons' knowledge. With its star-drive, they were on course for Kess in the hopes of assassinating the Houston captains on orders from the President of Earth Defense who was on Earth where it would be safe from the Houstons.

They also had a Trex, probably the captain, and he was tied up on the bridge. He was drugged, and he was willing to tell these humans anything they wanted to know for the chance to escape closer to home. He would have to tell his people that only he survived the battle at Earth. Of course, he would have to escape to deliver the bad news.

The captain answered the admiral, "According to this beast, we are, Sir. It seems to be answering all of our questions, and it gave us no problem on the running of this ship. It says that we should be there in about a week at this speed, Sir."

The admiral noticed the captain's demeanor, so he asked him if he had a problem with their mission to assassinate the Houston captains. Captain Marcus asked if he could speak freely, and the admiral nodded, yes.

The captain said, "Sir, I am a soldier and as a soldier, I do what I'm told, but … These targets prevented two invasions on Earth, built us two shipyards and several defense platforms which came in handy, and gave us over six hundred ships to add to our fleet, and that makes them targets?"

The admiral answered, "They took out all of Earth's defenses in just a couple of hours. They humiliated the President, and they possess a ship that could do it all over again even with our massive fleet. So yes, that makes them targets. Hell, we've assassinated people for a whole lot less." He took a clipboard from an ensign, signed it and then gave it back to him. He then said, "The President thinks that if we can get rid of the Houston leaders, we can get their crew to hand over that ship that looks like a turtle. Worst-case scenario, the new captain might work for us."

The Trex was shackled, feet and hands, and feet to hands, and he was wearing a muzzle that would allow him to talk but not open his mouth enough to bite any of the humans. He was tied up on the bridge by two armed guards, and he was listening in on the whole conversation between the admiral and captain.

The admiral continued as the captain took his seat on the bridge, "Besides, we need to set up shop on Kess for mining rights and repopulating the planet with humans. Also, we need to get to know the lizard people that are already there. This is one hell of a road trip."

Captain Marcus asked the admiral, "What about their brother on our defense platform. He might object to our killing his younger brothers."

The admiral smiled and said, "Don't worry about him. The President will take care of him and his alien friends soon enough. He wants their ships too for our fleet."

Meanwhile, the Turtle crew was headed for the Tauri System to help the humans from the lion people. The Houston admirals were in the "situation" room fighting killer robots in an old castle-like atmosphere, getting combat training the old fashion way, from experience. The admirals always enjoyed this exercise; it was their idea of fun.

The "situation" room was through one of the quantum doors on the Turtle. All anyone had to do was program the computer there, and then nanites reconfigured whatever was needed - anything. The room was where everybody went to learn and get experience for anything and everything. There were safety algorithms built into the room so nobody would get hurt unless someone turned them off.

Austen and son Noah, Derek and son Kirk, the alien lizard Qworn, Dale, and Jeanette Clark had the high ground wearing their nanites spacesuits, which was cool, because if you didn't need a helmet, it just disappeared, and the H.U.D. in the helmet went straight to a wristband so any information you might need to know was still accessible. In a way, it was like cheating, though.

Poor Will Cooper was also with them in the beginning, but as soon as they were beamed in, the teenager decided to test his weapon out and blew himself out of the exercise. He was only three seconds into the game, so he could at least say he held a record in combat training.

Kirk asked his dad why he was throwing so many grenades and Derek replied, "Look at your heads up display on your wrist. I've killed fifteen robots and kept them from advancing on our position. All is fair in war games. Now you, Noah and Clark go take that stairwell with your sniper rifles and help the rest of us advance to the next flag's position."

Clark said, "Move out, Cadets," and she let the two boys go first. As she followed them up the stairway, she laid out claymore mines behind her.

As the admirals and crew made their way to the next flag, Derek asked Austen if he had an Indian name what it would be, but Austen said, "You first."

Derek said that his name would be "Morning-wood." Austen could hear Clark on their headsets giggle and he said, "Running-squirts" would be his.

Now they could hear the boys laughing.

As they came around a corner, there were robots in formation coming their way. They both let loose with their lasers as Austen ordered everybody to double time it, and they ran in a different direction.

Beaming in to join them was Commander Jackson who was letting her rockets fly true into the swarm of killer robots. Derek said, "Glad you could join us, Commander, but how are you here?" He asked because once the game was started no one could join it.

She said that since Will was shot within one minute of the start of the game, she was able to join them. Austen said, "Actually, he blew himself up." Then he noticed her new rank on her suit so he said, "Commander, congrats on your new promotion. It seems everyone is getting promoted."

She said, "Thank you, Admiral. It seems Captain Deana pulled a lot of your crew over to Derek's crew and promoted us all. I hope it's OK with you, Sir?" she asked Austen. Derek was watching to see if she was going to kiss his brother like she had kissed him, but she didn't.

They made it to the next flag and Austen said, "Sure," as he replaced the flag with a flag with a turtle on it. Then he said, "As long as he replaces my cadets."

Derek asked, "Why didn't Deana join us herself? And I will replace your cadets, someday," he said to his brother.

Clark answered, "She had to go and undo a mistake with our pregnant cadet, but she sends her best."

Austen made a joke by asking, "So she's going to make the cadet not pregnant? She's good."

Clark and the young adults were laughing over their headsets again, but they were being drowned out by explosions coming up the stairwell. She and the boys knew they had company.

Clark said into her headset, "We have robots coming up on our position, Sirs. We're going to have to jump for it. Let's go guys, follow me." She led the way as she jumped from the tower.

Austen said to her, "Cadets, take the west hole and we will cover your escape to our quadrant. As soon as you can now!" They made it to where the rest of the gang was without any problems.

Austen ordered, "Alright, Turtle people, let's move on to the next flag. Qworn, you lead the way, you robot killer you."

They shot their way into another high area but unfortunately there were four exits. As Austen switched the flag out, Qworn ran to one exit; Noah took the opposite exit, while Kirk and Clark took off to the other two exits that were left. They thought they were safe, but nobody checked their wristbands. In the far back area between Noah's and Qworn's exits, a robot came out from behind a column and fired a shot at Derek who saw the robot a second too late.

Commander Jackson jumped in front of the admiral taking the shot for him. Derek caught her in his arms as she went limp and disappeared from the game just as fast as she had entered it not that long ago. Austen shot the robot down. As it disappeared, Austen said to Derek, "She's damn good isn't she, but don't be taking any more of my cadets. She was one of my best."

Derek said, "I didn't take her, Captain Kester did; talk with her."

Austen said, "Fight with her, I don't think so. Whatever makes her happy."

Dale said, "I hear that," and Derek agreed with him.